I Wish I Knew This as a NEW Backpacker

👇 GEAR FROM THE VIDEO 👇

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⭐ MY FAVORITE GEAR ⭐
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📷 MY FILMING GEAR 📷
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CONNECT WITH ME!
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[hrmIwonder]

I do something similar with drinking my cooking clean up water, but I just bring one mountain house style bag to cook in (repackage your meals into ziplocks). When you're done cooking a meal, just heat up a bit of water, put it in the bag and shake around the bag and then drink that, like you suggested here to not get food smells into the environment. And then your cook pot doesn't have food smells either... Oh btw, I bought the decathlon down jacket because of your recommendation. It's a great piece of gear, definitely punches waaayyy above it's price-point.

[hikingmovie]

Weighing my gear was the big thing for me. I didn’t care about being ultra light so picked up good but heavier gear. Those ounces added up fast. My pack seemed super heavy but I still guessed it should be in the 25lb range. I didn’t pack extra stuff. By the time I added food and water I could barely lift the pack onto my back. Later I put everything into the lighter pack website and found I was carrying around 40lbs of gear. It was a long 76 miles. I got a an ultralight tent and backpack and dropped 8 lbs with just those two items. Ounces really do matter as silly as it seems.

[The_Solo_Hiker]

I have been trekking for over five decades and as a teenager would always get blisters. Because my skin is sensitive to synthetic and woolens cotton socks were and are the way for me.
So I have been using atleast two pairs of socks or at times three pairs of socks worn one over the other. This helps in allowing the gliding and sliding to take place between the layers of socks, thus eliminating friction on the skin and hence no blisters.
Many may disagree which is okay, because everyone has their own body systems that they know best. I have simply shared my experience.
And yes, I'm over five decades of living in the wild almost every weekend and that amounts to plenty of experience.
ATB,
The Solo

[KatLady]

Wood ash is a surfactant and light weight. Half a handful in your dishes with water, some hand scrubbing, and your dishes are clean. But still, don't do it near the water source or your campsite.

[billpetersen]

Good point about washing. Those tiny alpine lakes, are so delicate.

[obikedog]

Great video and kudos telling people not to use rivers and lakes for dishwashing. Burying grey water is definitely a necessity in heavily trafficked areas.
BUT..! Drinking cold, hand-wash = BAD IDEA. Please folks, do NOT do this!
One runs the serious risk of ingesting intestinal bugs drinking hand wash.
IF I used a pot for anything other than boiling water (I've read about gourmets that like to do this) I would soak the dirty dishes with water, scrape with spoon, rinse and wipe with a dish cloth that I dry on my pack. That's good enough. If you work out your cook system you'll just boil water to make dinner in the pouches and dirty dishes will not be an issue. MUCH cleaner and safer for everyone.

[TheJackBaker]

Preparation H for blisters. It's a skin contractant, will dry up a blister overnight. I was in the Army. I always thought blisters getting blisters was a TV troup. I was wrong. Preparation H dried and hardened them overnight.

[scottyplug]

Always great tips and info, Justin. Again, from a production stand point, I would just have your logo or avatar up on screen for like 8 or 10 extra seconds at the end of each video. You end the vids so abruptly that in order to check out the other clips you post on screen, we have to actually "rewind" in order to be able to click on them. Just my two cents. . . long time fan, my man. You know that : )

[valdius]

Two pairs of socs work great as well. One thin synthetic - the one you showed. The the second can be thicker wool blend.

[theslowwalker]

You gave some good hints.
I use wool outer socks with thin synthetic inners. I've never had a blister since (more than 12 years . . . that's as old as some of my socks). Some folks use slippers or crocks to cross a river then dry their feet before putting on their dry footwear. I just hike through. With the two sock system . . . like I said, more than 12 years. Oh, if you use the 2 sock system avoid waterproof foot wear. They take too long to dry and retain moisture inside them.
I do freezer bag cooking or no cook meals. Dish washing . . . lick the spoon before putting a drop of biodegradable soap on it then drizzle some hot water to rinse it off - 100' minimum from camp and 200' minimum from water sources (rivers, lakes, spring, etc.) Put the freezer (Ziploc) bag into your trash bag and dispose of it when you get home.

[thewoundedcrow]

With the weight, even the little things add up! I stopped using so many zip locks, removed unused carabiners, even weigh stuff sacks.
Its crazy to think how much unnecessary weight can be shaved off

[backpackingpadawan]

Hey Justin! I just wanted to say thank you! I'm BRAND NEW to backpacking and your channel totally inspired me to get outdoors and helped me choose some of my gear! Keep up the awesome videos and thanks for all the tips!

[teipkep]

I am a huge fan of merinowhool, and I totally agree with the sock. I find it more comfortable to walk in these workout socks compared to whool.

[martinhafner]

I learned blister management from racquetball, where my lack of strategic skill resulted in frantic running/lunging and then blisters.
A tight, very thin, very stretchy, synthetic inner sock and then a firm, snug, medium weight outer sock. No wrinkles allowed on the inner sock. It must stretch on to the foot, but without any noticeable squeezing or pinching. For hiking, I prefer the outer sock to be a medium weight sock, mostly wool, with really good body. The better synthetics with good weaving structure can also work or a hybrid where the synthetic provides good structure and body for the wool. Colder weather requires more wool.

[woodchip]

Ever since I’ve been wearing compression socks I’ve ceased getting blisters. They’re hard to put on at first and feel too tight for a few minutes but after a while you don’t feel them. What happens is that when they stick to your feel they don’t rub on them and take the friction, not your feet.

[DrofJustice]

Ooof! Thanks for the xotoes tip. Ordered some direct from them as GGG didn’t have them in stock. Big injinji fan, but happy to try something new. So happy now that I have a nice fitting ultralight pack and the gear that makes sense for me and my hike.

[sk-wxcf]

Nice video Justin! I'm always weighing things. I have a kitchen scale for small things and a luggage scale for the larger items. Besides weighing when I'm packing, I also weigh using the luggage scale, when at the trailhead, right before I start. Then I weigh when I get off the trail, just to see how much has dropped from consumables.

[ironpig]

Last one is huge. Simply swapping out my jacket and fleece cut a pound. Now when folks go "oh a pound" well when base goes from 16 pounds to 15 pounds over 100 miles for 7 days its big

[neemancallender]

Guys,
Do not be afraid or embarrassed to fit a woman’s size pack
For me
Men’s small is always too long in the torso
I get the perfect fit by wearing a woman’s small, which translates to what would be a men’s extra small
And remember the volume carrying pack size will be smaller
Socks
Thin liner and thicker over sock
Friction happens between the socks not on your feet
Liners get rinsed and dry fast

[OldNavajoTricks]

Footcares a major point folks neglect, I have a 10l collapsible sink in the bottom of my Bergen and an aquarium aerator that runs off usb, footspa on the side of Sca Fell? Oh yes :-D
And scrub soup as well, you've definitely earned a sub 👍